Letters to the Editor - Jan. 7, 2013

To the editor: To all of the staff at Foster’s, I want to wish all of you at Foster’s a very happy and safe new year.

I also want to compliment you for the excellent job you do publishing the newspaper. No one knows of all the long dedicated hours that each of you put in to publish this fine newspaper.

Thank you.

Muriel M. Lucas

Gainesville, Ga.

Formerly of Durham

To the editor: On behalf of the Rochester Firefighters Toy Bank we would like to thank everyone who donated toys, money or their time toward this year’s Toy Bank program. We had a lot of great gifts this year and the kids had a great Christmas! We gave out gifts to over 700 children.

To the editor: The Strand Theater has been closed for a few years now, but anyone missing good films in Dover is welcome to attend any of the screenings offered by the Dover Film Class at the Dover Middle School. Admission is always free. The class is sponsored by the Dover Adult Learning Center of Strafford County and there are no obligations for attendance. One can drop into our films at any time. The class has been in operation for ten years and meets the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. Films screened have covered the widest possible range of subjects and genres; current, classic, foreign, anime, documentary and silent. For more information please call 603-969-2968.

Joe Hill

Dover

To the editor: A huge “thank you” must go out to Gary Sredziensky for his frigid swim and wonderful support for wildlife.

I would like to correct a statement made by Kristin Lamb of the Center for Wildlife in Maine. It is not the only facility within a hundred mile radius of York as she purports.

Maria Colby runs a fantastic, not for profit, Wildlife Rehabilitation Center/Bird Sanctuary and does Educational Outreach on her own and through The Audubon Society from “Wings of the Dawn”. in Henneker, New Hampshire.

Thank goodness I found Maria when The Maine Center was unable to help with an injured raccoon I had been desperately trying to look out for on my property in Durham. Maria gave me advise on humane trapping/containment, took the animal in and gave her incredibly loving care. She updated me, regularly, on her progress and even emailed photos of “Marshmallow” in her new home.

The emergency number for Wings of the Dawn is 603-428-3723.

Patsy Pratt

Durham

To the editor: As a resident of Dover who has expressed my intention to run for Ward 3 City Councilor in the next local election, I would like to communicate my strong dissatisfaction with the sloppy work of our national legislature, in piecing together their so-called “fiscal cliff” bill. Congress and the executive branch’s addiction to unrestrained spending, having exhausted the sustainable generosity of foreign countries, has driven them to reach straight into the wallets of every working person across the country. Already, citizens of Dover will see their weekly pay cut, manifesting direct and immediate effects on each of our daily lives. And what is it which our tributes will pay into? Nothing but the same inflated federal programs, which the Bill failed to touch.

We need comprehensive reforms to those programs which consume the largest portion of the country’s tax revenue, but simply cannot last into the conceivable future. Likewise, the City Council needs to work toward making smart fiscal decisions as they prepare a budget, which recognizes the additional strain put on Dover families by our national government.

Dexter Tarbox

Dover

To the editor: My car radio was tuned into NPR’s “Marketplace Morning Report” on my white-knuckled drive home from work on snow-covered roads on early Christmas morning. “Marketplace” reporter, Mark Garrison was interviewing Stephan Richter, of “The Globalist” (international affairs magazine). The two men were discussing how the U.S. stacks up in the world on income inequality.

Just prior, the “Marketplace” had been discussing the major sticking point in negotiations to avert the “Fiscal Cliff”: The refusal of the Greedy Old Plutocracy (GOP) to allow the Bush era tax cuts to expire on households with an annual income of $250,000 and above (the wealthiest 2% of the country).

Richter posed the following quiz question: “Income inequality in the United States is most similar to which of the following country pairings?”

“a. The United Kingdom and Australia

b. Germany and France

c. China and Thailand

d. Iran and Venezuela”

As a frequent listener of NPR’s zany weekly news quiz show, “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me;” I was immediately inclined to guess “d,” which, unfortunately, turned out to be the correct answer. I am no Alan Greenspan, but I knew this couldn’t be good news. I’ve heard that income inequality is bad for households and economies for numerous reasons. Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stieglitz recently summarized that, “Income inequality is strongly correlated with the inability of the next generation to achieve the American Dream. The more income inequality, the fewer people can achieve the ‘Dream.”

The United States is a constitution-based federal republic and devoutly capitalist. Iran is a theocratic republic with a mixed and transition economy with a large public sector. Venezuela, a federal republic, has a market economy in slow transition to a closed socialist economy. We certainly spend a lot of time, energy and capital demonizing Iran, Venezuela and their respective leaders.

How could three countries with such dissimilar and opposing systems and beliefs share such similar levels of income inequality? As an economic layman, I find myself deferring to the explanation delivered by the Ancient Greeks and Pink Floyd (please listen to “Money”): Greed.

Wayne H. Merritt

Dover

To the editor: What do you get when you mix a great group of firefighters, Santa Claus and a classroom full of excited children? The answer is simple-a joyous celebration of Christmas filled with giving, caring and sharing. Through the generosity of the George Grenier Memorial Fund, the Dover Professional Firefighters, along with Santa, worked their magic in my classroom at Garrison School. My staff and I wish to extend our sincere thanks for their continued commitment to this occasion, particularly during these difficult times. As always it was an unforgettable afternoon for all involved.

A very special thank you to Miss Caroline for all her kindness.

Elaine DeWolfe

Primary Teacher

Rochester

To the editor: A frequent bugaboo of the “fiscal cliff” debacle was the “milk cliff” -- the threat of milk price doubling, if Congress failed to extend dairy subsidies. Parents were forgoing other necessities, because their children “had to have milk.”

Most industries would gladly give up their tax loopholes for that kind of product loyalty. But this one is totally undeserved.

Consumption of dairy products, laden with saturated fats, cholesterol, hormones, and drugs elevates the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This is particularly critical during childhood years, when dietary flaws become lifelong addictions.

A study of 12,829 children by Harvard Medical School found that drinking cow’s milk leads to weight gain.

Several proteins in cow’s milk can thicken mucus secretions leading to respiratory problems in children.

Most African-Americans and Asian-Americans suffer from cramping and diarrhea because they lack the enzyme to digest lactose in cow’s milk.

The good news is that green leafy vegetables and legumes supply all the calcium and proteins touted in cow’s milk, without the excess calories and other yucky factors noted. Every supermarket offers a huge line of dairy-free milks, cheeses, and ice creams made from healthy nuts and grains.

This is why USDA’s current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, shunt dairy (and meat) off the recommended plate of vegetables, fruits, and grains.